Mental Health Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Ontario's Youth: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on the mental health and wellbeing of Ontario's youth. Our study investigated the psychological impacts of COVID-19 on the pediatric population of Ontario, using a survey derived from the Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) system to identify children who may benefit from seeking professional help. Our cross-sectional study examined the potential risk factors that contributed to worsening mental health and wellbeing in children, including changes in sleep patterns, appetite, and physical activity levels, as well as the diagnosis of a family member with COVID-19. Our study found that 24%, 9.4%, and 15.5% of participants exhibited symptoms of depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), respectively, according to the RCADS system. Furthermore, there were significant associations between the presence of symptoms and the diagnosis of a family member with COVID-19 or a frontline worker in the family. This suggests a need to create interventions to support the families of frontline workers and those directly affected by a COVID-19 diagnosis.

Sleep, biological rhythms and anxiety in the perinatal period: a systematic review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Pregnancy and new parenthood is an exciting time, but also a stressful life event that can predispose to mental health challenges. Perinatal anxiety is one such challenge, and is an important contributor to parental distress and other negative outcomes. Sleep and biological rhythms are often disrupted in the perinatal period. These disruptions have been associated with postpartum depression, and in some cases with perinatal anxiety. However, the literature concerning the association with perinatal anxiety is inconsistent and may be methodologically limited. To our knowledge, there has been no comprehensive review published characterising the relationships between sleep, biological rhythms, and perinatal anxiety and related disorders to date. In this systematic review, we will summarise the current state of the literature concerning these relationships, allowing us to highlight gaps and potentially inform clinical understanding of perinatal anxiety, sleep and biological rhythms. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Primary research articles will be eligible for inclusion if they assess perinatal anxiety or related disorders using validated criteria (self-report or diagnostic), assess sleep and biological rhythms in the perinatal period, include >4 participants and meet other inclusion/exclusion criteria. We will conduct comprehensive searches of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase and CINAHL, with coverage spanning from database conception to search date (August 1, 2021). Key search concepts include (1) the perinatal period, (2) sleep/biological rhythms and (3) anxiety. Risk of bias will be evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Data will be narratively synthesised, with quantitative synthesis included if possible. When relevant, strength of evidence will be assessed using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation criteria, and potential publication bias will be assessed. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Research ethics approval is not required. Study results will be reported according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Results will be disseminated to relevant stakeholders as conference presentation(s) and submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: 200166.

Yoga for the Management of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

Yoga has been shown to play a role in reducing the symptoms associated with the inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive forms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The medical history and clinical findings for a nine-year-old patient presenting with difficulty paying attention and impulsive speech and actions at home and school are presented. After the diagnosis of combination type ADHD by assessment of DSM-5 criteria, both at home and school and through parent and teacher evaluations using National Institute for Children's Health Quality (NICHQ) Vanderbilt Assessment Scales, the patient initiated a yoga training regimen. Six months after initiating the yoga training regimen, follow-up parent and teacher questionnaires revealed improvement in both the inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms. Literature sourced from the PubMed database to explore the efficacy of yoga for ADHD was used to support the research hypothesis that a structured yoga training regimen improves the symptoms associated with the inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive forms of ADHD, and thus, yoga is recommended as a management technique for individuals with ADHD.